I Think I-
by Persadiala
Summary: In honour of my three-year anniversary of fanfiction writing, I've decided to rewrite 'A Story of Love', my very first story. So, here goes. This is a story of friendships and falling in love... MAG and Pinger.
1. Chapter 1

Mary Ann Summers of Winfield, Kansas gasped at the wave of heat that hit her as she left the air-conditioned hotel. Then she grinned, because she had a whole week here in Hawaii away from the dreary old farm and she meant to wholly enjoy it.

She wandered for a while, browsing the little shops that lined the streets. As she neared the end of the road, she checked her watch with a slight frown. She had six hours to kill before the scuba-diving lesson she'd arranged for.

"What to do, what to do…" Mary Ann muttered. Then her eye caught a small sign reading, 'Three Hour Tours, Honolulu Harbour, Leaving 4:00'. She smiled. If she scheduled it now, she could be back half an hour before her lessons.

"Oi, Gilligan! Can you bring me that coil of rope?" Gilligan squinted up at the Skipper.

"Why? I already brought you two coils of rope already!" Despite his protests, Gilligan was already hoisting the heavy rope over his shoulder.

"I thought we'd bring it along, just in case you knock the other two coils overboard again," Skipper replied as Gilligan scrambled onto the charter boat.

"Here you go, Skipper. And you know I didn't mean to knock the ropes-" Skipper took the rope from Gilligan, interrupting him as he did.

"Yes, I know. You didn't mean to knock all our spare rope overboard. You've told me that ten times today already." He stowed the rope away in a compartment, then straightened. "Now, I want you to go up to the charter office to ask how many people we have today. Go on, Gilligan."

Gilligan grinned, climbing out of the boat. "Aye aye, Skipper!" He began jogging up the pier, then tripped and almost fell into the water. Recovering, he walked the rest of the way up to the tiny Charter office on the beach.

"Hi, Jim! Do we have anyone scheduled today?!" Gilligan bounced on his heels as the office attendant checked.

"Uh, yes. Five, it looks like today. And-" He whistled. "Looks like you got a movie star today."

Gilligan grinned. "Oh boy! A real live movie star! Really?!"

Jim nodded. "Yeah, and a couple of billionaires, too. The Howells. Hmm. They seemed sort of stuck up to me. Have fun with them."

This did nothing to deter Gilligan's enthusiasm. "Oh, wow! Real billionaires! Who else are we taking today?"

Jim chuckled. "Nobody important. Some sort of professor and a farm girl. Go tell Jonas now, Gilligan. Have a nice day!"

"Oh, I will! Oh boy, five people!" Gilligan ran back down the beach, kicking up sand as he raced to the pier and then along it. "Skipper, Skipper! Five whole people!" He tripped again, hat falling off as he sprawled on the dock.

"Careful, Little Buddy," Skipper chastised. "You don't want to get hurt."

Gilligan sat up, smiling, and picked his hat up. "We've got five people today, Skipper! And one of them's a real movie star!" He dusted the hat off and plopped it back on his head. "And there's a billionaire couple, and a professor, and a real live farm girl, too!"

"A movie star?! Well, gee, that's real swell!" Skipper said, smiling. "Now, help me put these supplies away! You never know what might happen, even in just three hours. Best be prepared."

"Aye aye, Skipper!"

"Gilligan, you didn't tell me the movie star was _Ginger Grant_ ," Skipper muttered, casting another glance over at the gorgeous star.

"Well, gee, Skipper, did you want me to?" Gilligan asked, tilting his head.

"Yes!" Skipper hissed, trying to keep quiet so as not to attract the attention of any of the passengers.

"Alright!" Gilligan said, smiling. "Skipper, the movie star is-"

Skipper cut him off. "I know, Gilligan. Why didn't you tell me _earlier_?"

Gilligan shrugged. "I didn't know it was her earlier, Skipper." Skipper opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"Oh, never mind, Gilligan. Who hasn't arrived yet?"

Gilligan squinted down at the list he was holding. "Miss, uh… Miss Mary Ann Summers. Gee, whoever wrote this has awful writing, Skipper."

Skipper grit his teeth and smiled. " _Thank you_ , Gilligan."

Gilligan looked up. "Oh, did you write it? Oh, Skipper, I didn't mean-"

"That's enough, Gilligan." Skipper looked over his first mate's shoulder and smiled, spotting a tanned young woman walking unsurely down the pier. "I believe that's Miss Mary Ann right over there. Why don't you go help her aboard?"

Gilligan turned around so fast he nearly toppled overboard. "Oh, gee, okay, Skipper! Miss Mary Ann! Miss Mary Ann-!"

The girl turned at her name, just in time to watch Gilligan lose his balance again, actually falling overboard this time. "Oh, gosh!" She gasped, rushing to help him out of the water. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Gilligan smiled sheepishly. "I'm always falling in. You're Miss Mary Ann, right?"

Mary Ann nodded, smiling at the dripping sailor as he squeezed water out of his hat. "Oh, just call me Mary Ann."

Gilligan grinned. "Alright miss- Er, alright, Mary Ann. I'm Gilligan, and that's Skipper up there, and Ginger Grant the movie star, and Mr. and Mrs. Howell, and that's the Professor there…" He pointed everyone out to Mary Ann as he finished wringing water out of his hat.

"Gilligan!" Skipper called. "Didn't I tell you to help the nice young lady aboard?" He flashed a smile at Mary Ann.

Gilligan's eyes widened. "Right. Um, would you like help, Mary Ann?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes please, Gilligan."

Gilligan swallowed, taking her hand in order to help her into the boat. She smiled gratefully at him, straightening her sunhat as she climbed aboard.

"Skipper-" Gilligan bounced on his heels, looking nervously at the dark clouds brewing overhead.

"Not now, Gilligan, I'm _busy_." Skipper cut him off, smiling at Ginger.

"But _Skipper_ , it's important…"

Skipper sighed, turning to face Gilligan. "I said I'm busy, Gilligan. Can't you see-"

"Skipper!" Gilligan interrupted. "Look at the clouds!" Skipper did so and frowned, looking as worried as Gilligan.

"Looks like there's a mighty big storm brewing, Gilligan. We'd better start back to the harbour now, before it hits." He climbed the ladder to the tiny bridge, followed closely by Gilligan.

"But Skipper, what about the passengers? We've only been out for an hour!"

Skipper nodded. "I know, Gilligan. We'll just have to tell them that today's trip has been cut short, that's all."

"But Skipp- Oh!" Gilligan cut himself off as a sheet of rain fell over them.

Mrs. Howell gasped, holding her parasol over her head. "Oh, rain! How perfectly dreadful!"

Ginger Grant hurried into the cabin, peering out at the rain from the doorway as she patted her hair. "Oh, my hair will be ruined!" She moved further into the cabin to make way for Mary Ann, followed by the Howells and the Professor.

"Looks like the storm's on us," Skipper said grimly, turning the ship toward Honolulu.

"Skipper, what are we gonna do?" Gilligan took off his hat to squeeze rainwater out of it, a futile gesture considering it was still raining and didn't look as though it would stop anytime soon.

"Well, _I'm_ going to drive and _you're_ going to make everything shipshape. Got that, Gilligan?"

"Yes, Skipper." Gilligan hurried down the ladder as the wind picked up, making the SS Minnow rock.

Gilligan determinedly kept his balance as he collected everyone's now-spilled drinks and, balancing their glasses, opened the compartment where Skipper had earlier stowed the coils of rope and deposited the glasses within, then shut the compartment tightly.

"Gilligan!" Mary Ann cried, spotting him from inside the crowded cabin. "What's happening?!"

Gilligan tried to smile. "Oh, um… Just a little storm, that's all." The wind threatened to carry his beloved hat away, but he reached up and held it down. "We're headed back to Honolulu now, so don't worry, Mary Ann." Then he rushed back to work, clearing the deck of anything that could be tossed about and broken or lost.

"I don't like this," The Professor muttered to himself, peering through a porthole at the dark clouds. "Those cumulonimbus clouds look rather ferocious…"

"Is everything okay, Professor?" Ginger spoke up, eyes wide. The Professor turned, looking mildly surprised.

"Oh, um, I was just remarking on the abominable weather patterns. See, those cumulonimbus clouds…" He trailed off, frowning out the window.

"Mind telling us what that means?" Mr. Howell grumbled. "We're not all brainiacs."

The Professor blinked. "Oh, well, to put it more simply… These storm clouds are really _bad_ storm clouds. It could storm for days!"

"Oh, Thurston, did you hear that?" Mrs. Howell frowned. "We might miss Mrs. Vanhampton's party! How dreadful!"

"Yes, Lovey, absolutely horrible." Mr. Howell replied distractedly.

"Oh, I knew I should've gotten changed," Ginger muttered, frowning down at her dress.


	2. Chapter 2

Mary Ann hummed absently to herself as she stirred the dough for a pie crust in a coconut shell bowl. She was making coconut crème pie for dessert that evening, a treat she knew everybody, especially Gilligan, would enjoy.

They had been stranded for a few months, now, and Mary Ann was well used to cooking for the others even with their somewhat limited resources. She found that while she dearly missed her family and life back in Kansas, she was coming to enjoy living on the island.

She set the bowl of dough down and turned, grabbing a clay pot full of coconut shavings to make the filling with.

She nearly dropped it a moment later when Gilligan burst out of the jungle, grinning madly as he held his hat to his head. "Hi, Mary Ann!" He called, skidding to a stop.

"Gilligan!" She gasped, eyes wide. "You scared-"

His eyes widened as he glanced over his shoulder, obviously hearing something Mary Ann hadn't. "Bye, Mary Ann!" He shouted, cutting her off before climbing over the table and dashing away into the trees.

Mary Ann watched him go, then shook her head, smiling. A moment later, the Skipper puffed into the clearing, dripping wet and clearly out of breath. "Good afternoon, Mary Ann. Have you seen Gilligan anywhere?"

Mary Ann grinned. "Of course." She pointed to the trail behind the Howell's hut. "He went that way," She lied.

"Gee, thanks, Mary Ann," Skipper said, lumbering off down the path. Mary Ann watched him go, grinning.

The last time she'd been honest to the Skipper about which way Gilligan went on such occasions had been just days after the shipwreck, and when Gilligan found out that she'd betrayed him he'd whined about it until she apologized and promised not to give him away again.

Mary Ann turned back to her baking, pouring a handful of coconut shavings into the clay bowl she used for mixing pie filling.

"Mary Ann!" She looked up to see Ginger striding toward her from the girls' hut. "Have you seen the Professor? He borrowed my hand mirror yesterday for an experiment and I need it back now."

Mary Ann considered for a moment. "This morning he said he was going out to the clearing with the big rock for some peace and quiet."

Ginger sighed. "Thanks, Mary Ann. I was afraid he might've gone out into the jungle looking for those ferns of his or something. I'd never find him out there!"

"Well, I hope you do find him, Ginger." Mary Ann said decidedly, as she set the now mixed pie filling to the side and pulled out a pie tin so she could begin to shape the crust.

Ginger smiled before taking off in search of the Professor.

The Professor's sought-after peace and quiet was broken by Gilligan, of course. The first mate came tearing out of the trees as if he were chased by head-hunters, then stopped abruptly in front of him, nearly overbalancing.

"Hi, Professor!" Gilligan smiled, glancing over his shoulder as the Professor looked up from his book.

"Hello, Gilligan. What's the rush?" The Professor asked mildly, turning a page.

"Oh, well, Skipper and I were setting the lobster traps, and…" Gilligan fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

The Professor nodded understandingly. "If Skipper comes by, I won't tell him which way you went."

Gilligan grinned. "Thanks!" He took off again, headed back toward the lagoon. The Professor sighed, turning back to his reading.

He was interrupted again just a few paragraphs further into the book, this time by Ginger. "Professor, there you are! I've been looking all over for you."

He put his book down and stood, smiling at her. "Hello, Ginger."

The star flashed him a grin. "You remember borrowing my hand-mirror yesterday?"

"Why, yes, of course. It was quite useful in helping me determine the…" The Professor trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, yes. It's in my hut. Would you like it back now?"

"Yes, please, Professor." Ginger said. "I'm very glad it was useful to you, but I've got to practise my emotions, otherwise I'll get rusty!"

The Professor grinned. "Can't have that, can we?"

"Of course not," Ginger replied, mock-seriously. "Well, I'll let you get back to your reading, Professor. I'm sure I can find it on my own."

The Professor nodded, watching the way she swayed her hips as she walked away.

By the time she glanced back, however, he was once more engrossed in his book.


End file.
